Hand tool construction



Feb. 10, 1953 L. A. IfAZANDAK HAND TOOL CONSTRUCTION Filed July 2'7, 1950 l/WENTUR LOU/.5 A. PAZA/VDAK Patented Feb. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,628,133 HAND TOOL CONSTRUCTION Louis A. Pazandak, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application July 27, 1950, Serial No. 176,127

1 Claim. 1

This invention has relation to a hand tool consisting of an elongated handle and a working element, useful for many different purposes but herein illustrated and described as especially useful for garden work.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved hand tool construction through the instrumentality of which an elongated tool handle can be detachably assembled with a tool working element to the end that hand tool working elements of various types can be interchangeably employed with a single tool handle. Stated differently, the invention herein presents a novel and improved construction and arrangement for accomplishing detachable assembly of a hand tool working element and a manipulating handle therefor.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a hand tool construction made according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the disclosure of Fig. 1 as it would appear from the left;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan View of the hand tool construction;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view, taken on line 4-4 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view, taken on line 55 in Fig.1; and v Figs. 6, '7 and 8 are sectional views corresponding generally with the disclosure of Fig. 5 but showing hand tool constructions each of modified type made according to the invention.

With respect to the drawing and the numerals of reference thereon, Ill denotes an elongated handle and II indicates a working element of a hand tool. As shown, the working element II is suitable for a type of garden work. It is to be understood, however, thatthe working element of a tool detachably assembled with an elongated handle such as I0 according to the principle of the invention could be of structure suitable for accomplishing almost any type of work. Byway of example, a working element when detachably assembled with a handle such as I 0 could provide, together with said handle, a rake, hoe, shovel, spade, axe, etc, each of type as may be selected to the accomplishment of a particular job.

The working element II includes a carrying frame I2 integrally supported by a flat blank or strip I3 of rigid material, metal as shown, constituted as a part of an L-shape handle retainer, represented generally at I4, of the tool construction. The handle retainer I4 and the flat blank or strip I3 thereof are situated between the car- 2 rying frame I2 and the elongated handle Ill. In the'disclosure as made, the carrying frame I2 integrally or rigidly supports a blade I5 useful for hoeing, but said carrying frame could support a working instrument of any type which might be selected, and to this end the carrying frame could be of any preferred configuration.

The L-shape handle retainer I4 is composed as a longer arm adjacent the elongated handle l0 and a shorter arm adjacent the carrying frame I2 and integrally connected with the longer arm in the plane thereof. Said longer arm of the handle retainer is constituted as a first hollow element bounded at the top thereof, or portion opposite the flat blank or strip I3, by a straight first elongated wall I6 and at opposite sides thereof by spaced, parallel walls IT, IT. Said longer arm or first hollow element is open at the bottom thereof, or portion adjacent said fiat blank or strip. Said shorter arm of said handle retainer is constituted as the fiat blank or strip I3 and a second hollow element bounded at the front thereof, or portion opposite said fiat blank or strip, by a curvilinear second elongated wall I8 and at opposite sides thereof by spaced, parallel walls I9, I9. Said second hollow element is closed at the rear thereof, or portion adjacent the longer arm or first hollow element, by the fiat blank or strip I3, and the second hollow element is substantially closed at the end portion thereof spaced from said longer arm or first hollow element. As shown, the walls I 9, I9 integrally support flange portions 20, 20 which extend exteriorly therefrom in perpendicular relation thereto to which the flat blank or strip I3 is rigidly secured, as at 2i, in closing relation to the rear, or portion adjacent the longer arm or first hollow element, of the second hollow element of the handle retainer I4. Together, the first and second hollow elements provide a continuous passage, composed as a guideway 22 and a pocket 23 open to the front of the guideway, bounded or defined at its upper and forward portions by the first and second elongated walls I6 and I8 and at its opposite sides by the walls I1, I! and I9, I9, and closed at the rear of the pocket 23, or portion adjacent the longer arm or first hollow element, by the flat blank or'strip I3. Forward and lower parts of the pocket 23 are bounded by a curvilinear surface 24, provided by the second wall I8, which faces rearwardly in adjacent relation to an upper portion of a forward surface 25 of the hat blank or strip I3 and the guideway 22 provided by the longer arm or first hollow element of the handle retainer I4. ,An upper part of the guideway '22,

or portion opposite the open side of the longer arm or first hollow element of said handle retainer, is bounded by a straight surface 26, provided by the first wall l6, which faces downwardly. The bounding surfaces 25 and 26 are in spaced, substantially perpendicular relation, at opposite sides of said guideway 22, and the curvilinear bounding surface 24 is disposed between and forwardly of said boundingvsurfaces 25 and2fi, as well as in substantially perpendicular relation to the bounding surface 26.

The elongated handle I0 is rigid with a straight shank 21 of reduced diameter terminating at the attaching end of said handle in a' hook ipOItiOIl 28 which faces or opens rearwardly in the plane z of said shank 21 in substantiallyperpendicular relation thereto. As shown, the .hookportionzr fi extends through an arc of substantially 180 degrees, and the shank 27 and said hook portion are of equal thickness.

The L-shape handle'retainer'lt is .a'dapted'to removably. receive'the shankZ'IJ-and. hOOklIJOl'tiOll '28 of or on thehandle'ii); and to this end an interior marginal edge 29'of the flat'blankoristrip i3 is spacedfrom'the'elongated wall IG bounding the upper portion of the guideway 22. a distance greater than a' measurement representing thethickness of saidshank and less than a measurement representing the overall length ofsaid hookportion. The side walls 11, H and l9, l9, .respectively, are spaced'aparta distance substantially equal to the thickness of the shank :27 and the hook portion 28, and the curvilinear surface 24 is of are and situated relative to .the down wardly facing surface 25 provided by the wall-l8 .and the forward surface 25 of the blank or strip I 3 tosnugly seat the forward surface of the hook .portion'28 when the shankZ'l isengaged'against said downwardly facing surface 26 anda rearwardly facing free end 30- of saidhook portion 28 is engaged against said forwardsurfaceZfi, as in Fig.4 of the drawing.

The shank-2l slidably supports a tubular. element orlocking ring 3! for movement longitudinally of :said shank adapted to be removably .assembled with the rear ends of .thewalls i7, i6, I 1 of .the longer .arm .or. first. hollow element of the .L-shape handle retainer l4 thus to be .capa- .b'le of rigidlysecuringsaid shankin said retainer when. assembled therewith. .As disclosed, a .compression coil. spring '32 upon the 'shank'..2l, .hav .ing one .of. its ends engaged against the .handle and its other end engaged against-the tubular element .or looking .ring .3 l normally .urges "the .lattenlongitu'dinally of said shank, and theadja- .cent, rearward .ends of the walls f l, i 6, 1.17. are .of configuration .to. be snugly fitted. .into anannular concavityj33in theforwardend of.said.tubular.element or locking ring.

JIhe mannerin which .theelongated handle i-O .andlthe workingelement l I are assembledand disassembled will .be apparent. To accomplish assembly of said handle and working element, the.hook.portion 28 and the shankr2'l1are'in- .sertedainthe guideway 22 and slid to .position, while the .tubular element or .locking :ring 3.! .-is retained in -a retracted position against -torce of thecompression coil spring 32, :to caused-said .hook portion-to be seated in the pocket 23 against its "curvilinear surface -24, said shank to be-engaged'against the downwardly facing surfaoe25 andthe rear 'end 30 of the hook portion tO';be engaged :against the forward surface W510i the fiat blank 'Or strip t3, and uponxcompletion of tubular element or locking ring is released thus to permit said compression coil spring to cause said tubular element or looking ring to be fitted upon the adjacent end of the longer arm or first hollow element of the handle retainer, as in Fig. 4. It will be obvious that assembly of the shank and hook portion of or on the handle with the retainer can be accomplished by relative rocking movement of said handle and retainer. The rear -endrofjthe' hookgportion canlbe made to enter the pocket while the'shank'is spaced from the downwardly facing surface 26, and after said rear end of said hook portion is in said pocket, at positionforwardly of the blank or strip !3, the handle with shank can be swung toward the wall [6 to complete the assembly. Disassembly can be..accomplished .by first removing the tubular element or locking ring 3| from the rear end of the. longer arm or first hollow element of the handle retainer and then swinging the shank 21 away from the wall 16 until the hook portion 28 iswithdrawn from the pocket 23.

Obviously, the handle and working tool when assembled, as in Fig. 4, will be rigidly secured together against the possibility of relativemovement. Relative rotative movement of theshank with hookportion and the longer arm or first hollow element is precluded by reason of said hook portion being seated in the pocket 23, relative rockingmovement of the handle and retainer is precluded. by reason of ,the tubular element or looking ring 3! being fittedupon the rear end of said longer arm or first hollow element, relative longitudinal movement ofsaid handle and retainer is precluded by cooperative actionof the hook portion rear .end 30.engaged against the forward surface '25 of the blank or strip l3 and said tubular element or lockingring, and relative transverse movement of said. shank and hook portion and. handleretainer is precluded by the side walls [7, i1 and IS, IS and the fit of the hook portion to the curvilinear surface 24. Stated broadly, partsof the handle and working element cooperate when these are assembled to cause themto be rigidly'secured toeach other. .At the same time, said handle and working elementare capable-of being readily and easily assembled and disassembled.

In'Figs. lto"5 of'the drawings, the shank 27 is circular in cross section, and the downwardly "facing surface "'26 is of part-cylindrical configuration in orderthat said shank can be snugly fitted to it.

In Fig. 6,the-""shank21is hexagonal in cross section and the downwardly facing surface to be'engaged'by saidshank is of configuration to correspond. In Fig. 7, the shank 21 is square in cross section and the downwardly facing'surface to be'engage'dby it is of configuration to correspond. In'Fig.8, the-shank 21 is'triangular in 'cross sectionan'd -the downwardly facing surface itzis to engage is ofnsimilar "configuration. :OLtherwiseithan asstated, the construction-as in Figsgffi, 'landlB is, or :may be, the same as'in Figs. 1'tof5. ;The:disclosuresof said-Figs'6, 'land .BLillustrate .that :the shank need not necessarily be .;c'ylindrical. Shanks .of configuration other :than 19.5". shown :evidently can .be employed.

What is claimed is:

The combination with :a working element. and 1a handleincluding panzelongated shank and a hook -portion:.uponzan end and in .the plane 10f said-elongated. shank, of mechanism gdetachably securing said :working element .upon "said .elongated. shank and hook portion ..comprising nan assemblyof the. handle and working element'said lfi alreshaperretainerrcomposed .asa.firstarmzadiacent said elongated shank and constituted as a first hollow element formed to snugly, removably receive said elongated shank and a second arm adjacent said hook portion and rigid with both said first arm and said working element and constituted as a second hollow element formed to snugly, removably receive said hook portion, said first hollow element being bounded at the side of said second hollow element opposite said working element by a first surface situated in facing relation to the second arm and at opposite sides of said first surface by spaced surfaces extending toward said second arm, said second hollow element being bounded at the front thereof by a second surface situated in facing relation to said first arm and at opposite sides of said second surface by spaced surfaces extend ing toward said first arm and at the rear thereof by a surface rigid with said working element, the first and second hollow elements being in open, contiguous relation to each other, said hook portion lying in said second hollow element in engaged relation with said second surface 6 when said surface rigid with said working element when said elongated shank is situated in said first hollow element in engaged relation with said first surface, and means detachably fastening a part of said first arm spaced from said second arm upon a part of said elongated shank.

LOUIS A. PAZANDAK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

